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Travel Ideas: Wonders of the World

wonders of the world

The Ancient Seven Wonders of the World were listed by the ancient Greeks, but they didn’t know about many other fascinating sites that existed in other parts of the world, or since. This has led modern historians to come up with The Forgotten Wonders of the World:

Abu Simbel Temple in Egypt
Angkor Wat in Cambodia
The Aztec Temple in Tenochtitlan, Mexico
The Banaue Rice Terraces, Philippines
Borobudur Temple in Indonesia
The Colosseum in Rome, Italy
The Great Wall of China
Machu Picchu in Peru
The Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy
The Mayan Temples in Guatemala
The Easter Island Statues
Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, France
The Throne Hall of Persepolis in Iran
The Parthenon in Athens, Greece
Taj Mahal in Agra, India
The Temple of the Inscriptions in Mexico
Petra, the rock-carved city in Jordan
The Shwedagon Pagoda in Myanmar
Stonehenge in England

There is no agreement among people around the world as to what the Seven Wonders of the Modern World should be. However, a few of the following would probably be on everyone’s list:

Eiffel Tower in Paris, France
The Empire State Building in New York City
The Gateway Arch in St. Louis, USA
The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco,
The High Dam in Aswan, Egypt
Hoover Dam in Arizona/Nevada, USA
Mount Rushmore Memorial in South Dakota
The Panama Canal
The Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The Statue of Liberty in New York City
The Suez Canal in Egypt
The Sydney Opera House in Australia
The Statue of Cristo Redentor in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The CN Tower in Toronto, Canada
The Clock Tower (Big Ben) in London, England
The Channel Tunnel between England and France

The Wonders of the Natural World are mostly agreed upon, although there are more than seven, and every list is a little different. Here are the agreed-upon ones:

Angel Falls in Venezuela
Mount Everest in Nepal
Mount Fuji in Japan
The Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia
The Grand Canyon in Arizona
Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania
Niagara Falls in Ontario and New York
The Great Barrier Reef in Australia
Victoria Falls in Zambia/Zimbabwe

Most Popular Travel Destinations in the United States

US Travel Map

Travel advisors at Virtuoso, a leading luxury travel network in the Americas, the Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand, have voted for 10 most popular destinations in the United States for 2011 in Virtuoso Luxe Report. Check them out!

Maui, Hawaii
A prominent part of the Hawaiian archipelago, Maui tops the choice of leisure travelers in United States with 60.08 percent having opted for the island. Maui Island has also had recognition of “Best Island in the World”. The island in the Hawaii state of US offers leisure and adventure travel experiences with whale watching, active volcanoes, snorkeling, water skiing, golf courses, cruises and more attractions aboard. West and South Maui are supposedly the best tourism spots with west embracing shopping places, finest restaurants and resorts while south wooing with its miles of sandy beaches and underwater funs. Maui’s major airport is Kahului Airport that connects to the major islands.

New York City, New York
New York’s presence in the top ten list and that too on second slot with 56.38 percent of the votes is very much inevitable. In 2010, the New York City attracted almost 49-million tourists, about 7 percent up from 45.5 million the previous year. According to city’s mayor Michael Bloomberg, last year’s figure firmly places the city on a pace to draw 50 million visitors in 2011. Some special attractions this year are bound to draw tourists to New York. The Statue of Liberty’s 125′s birthday and the inauguration of the National September 11 Memorial devoted to 9/11 tragedy will keep New York in tourism spotlight in 2011.

Las Vegas, Nevada
The popularity of the Vegas as a major city in the world for gambling, casinos and night life is not unknown and the Virtuoso luxury travel experts ranks this Nevada’s city third with 42.8 percent of votes. The Las Vegas Strip, a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard, housing some of world’s major casinos, largest hotels, restaurants and the like will continue to brace the city as one of the most popular tourist destinations in US.

Napa Valley, California
With 37.45 percent of votes, Napa Valley in California noted for viticulture, would be one of the most visited places in United States this year. The Valley has numerous wineries that attract as over five million people every year.

Orlando, Florida
The city of the Disney World, Orlando will continue grabbing world’s attention with announcements about revamping of Fantasyland and opening of a new Disney Resort that is expected to keep travelers excited about the place, and so the city gets 31.69 percent of votes in Virtuoso Luxe Report.

San Francisco, California
Golden Gate, China Town and cable cars gave fame to San Francisco as much as the city’s architecture, museums, and art and entertainment culture wooed tourists. The city is also a popular spot for gay tourism and scores about 30 percent of votes among top ten destinations in US for 2011. (more…)

Things to Do in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang MaiNot many tourists know that it is not only in Bangkok that you can spend a Thai holiday with friends and family. One great choice is the city of Chiang Mai, which is an exotic city ideal for vacations and tours. From rafting to jungle trekking to simple activities such as shopping and clubbing during the night, you surely will enjoy your trip to the city of Chiang Mai.

Rafting
Any tourists will enjoy rafting down the well-known Maetang River. This activity is often combined with mountain biking and elephant riding. Many rafting adventure companies offer 10-kilometer rafting trips along the river. Rafting in this river is most exciting from the months of June to October, when the water levels are higher.

River Cruising
Taking a cruise down the Ping river is one of the best ways to spend your vacation in Chiang Mai. The cruise is done on a sail boat and lasts a day. This is a popular choice for romantic dates and intimate parties. (more…)

Things to See in Egypt

EgyptEgypt is probably best known by the pyramids and ancient burial sites of long dead Pharaohs, but there’s much more to it than that. While without a doubt the ancient Egypt remains are one of the most astonishing remains of the Ancient world available for tourism, Egypt also has places of natural beauty difficult to find anywhere else, such as the Red Sea or the dessert, and cultural centers such as el Cairo. Many say that once you go to Egypt once you’ll be longing to come back, and here are some of the reasons why:

Pyramids and Templates
It’s impossible to talk about Egypt and its culture without mentioning the Pyramids and temples, legacy of the ancient Egypt Pharaohs. The most famous pyramids are those at Giza, an ancient necropolis that was the after death home of Pharaohs through the first to the fourth dynasties. The tomb of Pharaoh Cheops is the tallest Egyptian pyramid, 10 meters taller than the Red Pyramid build by his father. Along with the pyramids for the reigning Pharaohs, temples and smaller pyramids for the Pharaoh wives and family, and another of Egypt’s landmarks: The Sphinx. Many of those sites are now empty; their treasures stolen over the years of confusion after the fall of the last Kingdom, but archaeologists are still making new discoveries even today. There are many other pyramids and templates all along the Nile, smaller but not less impressive and often less frequented by tourists. (more…)

Activities in Aiken, South Carolina

Aiken SCThe city of Aiken owes its beauty to its history. This picturesque community has preserved the city’s historic character and there are a number of places of tourist interest here including the various museums and golf clubs.

Aiken County Historical Museum
This museum which is housed in the Banksia (formerly a winter colony mansion) aims to collect and preserve all historical material related to the Aiken county. Entry is free and the museum is open between 10 to 5 pm between Tuesday and Saturday and 2 to 5 pm on Sunday. Amongst its continuously changing exhibits you can find the Odell Weeks Room, the Agricultural Room (Aiken County – once the asparagus capital of the world), our Military Hall Exhibit, the Pottery Exhibit, the Winter Colony Room, the Golf Exhibit, etc.

Aiken Golf Club
In a state made for golf, Aiken offers some of the best golf course layouts for enthusiasts. The Aiken Golf Club steeped in golf history remains one of the oldest courses in the country. Situated in the middle of the town, it plays 5,734 yards from the Medal Tees, 5,361 yards from the Mid Tees and 4,572 from the Fore Tees. (more…)

Things to Do in Gran Canaria, Puerto Rico

Gran Canaria Puerto RicoIn addition to Tenerife, Gran Canaria is the major tourist hot spot of the Canary isles. With all year sunshine and enjoyable temperatures from sunrise till’ well into the night it’s great to relax on the island when the winter storms rages through Northern Europe where I live.

Access
Gran Canaria is the best island to stay on if you want to explore the other islands. Because it’s the most populated island and is centrally located, boat trips and plane rides from the airport of this island to other islands such as Tenerife, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote are frequent and reliable. Each island is unique so if you have the time, go explore.

The Beaches
There’s debate among which island has got the best beaches but I love the great beaches. With more than 200 kilometers of coastline, Gran Canaria has a little of everything. Sandy, rocky, you name it, this isle has it. I prefer the endless sand of the Maspalomas Sand Dunes. Playa de Ingles lines the dunes and though it’s well-liked by tourists, it’s possible to find a nice quiet spot on this massive beach. (more…)

Relaxing in Matakana, New Zealand

Matakana New ZealandSituated just an hour North of Auckland, the Matakana Coast offers you an array of places to visit and things to do as well as a great selection of accommodation options. Below are just some of the things you can do during your stay:

Recreation
Matakana has a huge range of recreational activities for visitors, allowing you to choose which one best suits your plans. There is plenty of beach if you feel like a stroll along the sand in the sunshine is for you or perhaps horseback riding might suit you better. A round of golf in the morning and a spot of fishing in the afternoon might appeal to you – you could even charter a boat to take you out. Or perhaps a helicopter ride is your kind of charter, it’s an amazing way to see the coast and will be a highlight of your holiday.

Relaxation
Part of being on holiday is being able to relax away from the hustle and bustle, so choosing a Matakana accommodation provider that offers secluded surroundings, breathtaking views and first class hospitality should be top of your list. After a busy day exploring the area you want to be able to return your suite and know that someone else has prepared a gourmet meal for you complemented by locals wines and all you need to do is sit back, relax and enjoy. (more…)

Things to Enjoy in Faro, Portugal

Faro PortugalFaro is a lively provincial capital which is often overlooked by visitors when visiting Portugal’s Algarve. Just 5 minutes from Faro airport, this historic town offers a taste of real Portugal in an exciting lively atmosphere. Thanks to dry hot summers and mild winters Faro is a popular choice for holidays throughout the year, including holidays in December when temperatures are still around the 20C mark. Visitors to Portugal on their bargain holidays often miss out on this fascinating town by rushing off to the beach resorts of the Algarve.

Faro has an array of restored buildings of varying architectural styles which are surrounded by crumbling medieval walls. The historic old town, the Cidade Velha, has charming cobbled streets with white-washed buildings, a town square lined with orange trees and surrounded by elegant buildings including the Bishops Palace, a cathedral, the 16th century Convent of Nossa Senhora Assuncao, museums such as the Museu Infante Dom Henrique and the Museu Etnografico, and beautiful churches, including the amazing Igreja do Carmo. The old town is reached via the Arco da Vila, an 18th century arch where storks nest, built on the site of a medieval castle gate. Visitors can take a relaxing wander through the many gardens and pedestrianized streets to discover this vibrant town. (more…)

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